Mottling and identifying mottling
Mottling is a recessive gene indicated by the symbol mo
If a bird has mottling it is written mo/mo
If it is split for mottling it is written Mo+/mo
If it doesnt carry the gene it is written Mo+/Mo+
A mottled Pekin refers to a black bird, who should be silver based who has two copies of the mottling gene.
Mottling is responsible for the lack of pigment on the tip of the feather. It does not cause a white tip, but rather a lack of pigment at the tip. Often we see a black band in-between the white tip and the rest of the feather, which will be the same colour as the rest of the bird.
Mottling is said to only express when it is pure (two copies).
Two birds who dont appear mottled can produce mottled offspring, because mottling is recessive, it is possible for two parents to carry it without showing any signs of mottling. These birds are referred to as "split" for mottled.
A bird carrying one copy of mottling (split for mottling) can sometimes display a few small mottles, and in my experience may have a white mottle appearing
If a bird has mottling it is written mo/mo
If it is split for mottling it is written Mo+/mo
If it doesnt carry the gene it is written Mo+/Mo+
A mottled Pekin refers to a black bird, who should be silver based who has two copies of the mottling gene.
Mottling is responsible for the lack of pigment on the tip of the feather. It does not cause a white tip, but rather a lack of pigment at the tip. Often we see a black band in-between the white tip and the rest of the feather, which will be the same colour as the rest of the bird.
Mottling is said to only express when it is pure (two copies).
Two birds who dont appear mottled can produce mottled offspring, because mottling is recessive, it is possible for two parents to carry it without showing any signs of mottling. These birds are referred to as "split" for mottled.
A bird carrying one copy of mottling (split for mottling) can sometimes display a few small mottles, and in my experience may have a white mottle appearing
Mottling is first noticeable at between one to two weeks. When the feathering starts to come in on the chest, apologies for the blurry image, but here is a comparison at 2-3 weeks, the pullet on the right is mottled.
Also noticeable is that the, uh, "bottom" area is white.
The chest comes in nearly fully white in the juvenille stage, after this the white starts spreading throughout the bird. See the white chest here at.
Finally the mottling spreads throughout the bird.